COLORADO CITY, Texas — Officials said DNA evidence collected on June 13 led to the arrest of Shawn Casey Adkins for murder. Adkins was charged for the death of Hailey Dunn, who was 13 at the time of her disappearance from Colorado City. Adkins was the boyfriend of Hailey’s mother, Billie Dunn, at the time. Hailey’s body was found in 2013 in Scurry County, and her case made national news.
Adkins was charged more than a decade after the incident.
“A search warrant was obtained to collect Adkins’ DNA. After samples were collected on June 13,” DPS said. Then, an arrest warrant was obtained and Adkins was arrested on June 14 and taken to Howard County Jail in Big Spring. He was then transferred to the Mitchell County Detention Center.
Adkins’ bond was set at $2 million.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The following is a press release from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Man Charged in 2010 Cold Case Slaying of Mitchell County Teen
AUSTIN – More than a decade after she was last seen alive, a person has been charged in the cold case slaying of Mitchell County eighth-grader Hailey Dunn.
Shawn Casey Adkins, 35, of Big Spring, was arrested Monday, June 14, in Big Spring and charged with one count of murder in the death of 13-year-old Dunn.
Dunn was last seen on Dec. 27, 2010. Her mother reported her missing the next day. Despite a search, there was no sign of Dunn until March 16, 2013, when her remains were found near Lake JB Thomas in Scurry County.
Adkins had been a suspect in the case, but was never charged. At the time of Dunn’s death, he was the live-in boyfriend of Dunn’s mother. The circumstances surrounding Dunn’s disappearance is what led authorities to Adkins initially. Ultimately, though, the investigation stalled for lack of new evidence.
In 2020, the district attorney for the 32nd Judicial District, Ricky Thompson, consulted with the Texas Rangers Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program (UCIP) regarding the case, and the Rangers took a new look into the investigation. The Rangers interviewed several people, and Adkins was identified as the suspect in Dunn’s slaying.
A search warrant was obtained to collect Adkins’ DNA. After samples were collected on June 13, an arrest warrant was obtained and Adkins was arrested and taken to the Howard County Jail in Big Spring. He was then transferred to the Mitchell County Detention Center. Bond was set at $2 million. The investigation into the case continues.
